Hong Kong Mahjong Demo

Mahjong is one of the most well-known oriental games to become popular in the western culture as well, thanks to the wonders of computer gaming. Even if people were playing it way before video games came around, the fact that you suddenly did not need all sorts of pieces to enjoy it made the game that much more accessible to the public.

Hong Kong Mahjong is designed to come as close to the real thing as possible, compete with authentic symbols and rules. Hence, unlike the usual Mahjong spinoffs, you can really get familiar with the game the way it was meant to be played, although it might take a while to understand it. As it turns out, the game is a lot more complicated than the watered down versions had you believing.

As such, one of the most interesting features is the fact that four players sit at the board at the same time, so it’s already much more different. Each player makes a move when his turn comes up, and it goes like that for the entire duration of the game. You have to make certain decisions along the way and play the right pieces, otherwise you can lose, or make severe mistakes that ruin your chances.

Unfortunately, it might be a bit difficult to get in the proper mood, given the fact that the user interface is pretty annoying and not very helpful. You need a lot of patience to navigate the menus, not to mention the fact that the rules are not properly explained unless you decide to read the instructions manual beforehand. Granted, that’s how it should be done anyway, but a short interactive tutorial would have helped a great deal.

As far as the controls and the interaction with the other players are concerned, you might be a bit confused at first, because the pieces are strange, and the board looks nothing like regular Mahjong. After enough matches and training, on the other hand, you can get the hang of it and find the layout a bit more familiar. Thankfully, you only need the mouse in order to play the game.

When it’s all said and done, Hong Kong Mahjong may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but at least it stays true to itself and it presents the game in the most authentic formula possible. Hence, unless you are ready to experience true Mahjong with the traditional rules, you might as well stick to the classic spinoffs.